BC246 or BC296 for Charlotte?

[bonus1331]

My 245 is on it's last legs. Time to pony up the money. Desperately looking forward to ID tags. Is there any reason that any one is aware of, for me to spend the money on the APCO-25 296 in ther next 2 to 3 years.
Is there currently any agencies using digital systems that I would be missing out on?
Really like the frequency counter aspect of the BC246, but if agencies are going digital within the next 3 years (average age between scanner upgrades), I would spend the money know.
Thanks

 

[Newshound]

I just updated my company's scanners, and went with the digital. Chester Co. is currently the only agency that I know of that is using the digital feature on their radio. I talked with CMPD about six months ago and they are "a couple of years away" from going digital, but they recently received a federal grant, so it may be sooner. They will eventually go digital for the city/county police and the city fire, but they have a contract to continue to provide the analog truck capability to the suburban agencies for at least tem years.

My suggestion would be to bite the bullet and buy the digital radio.

Bob Van Tieghem
Photographer/SNG Op.
WCNC-TV
Charlotte, NC

 

[bonus1331]

Re: Charlotte Digital

Bob, Can I ask what you ended up getting. I would assume the only two choices are the Uniden and the Pro-96?

 

[jplyler]

I have a Pro-96 right now. It does come in handy when traveling to cities w/ digital systems and it does a good job around here. I am considering the 246t for its size (especially) and other features like Close Call and the Search and Store. I will probably use the 246t around town (Cornelius, Charlotte) and leave the 96 at home. The way I see it by the time Meck County goes digital there will be something "new and improved" in the digital scanner world.

Jon

 

[Newshound]

We bought a combination of Bearcat 796D's and 296D's ($8000 worth of radios). I did quite a bit of research on the different models and the Unidens came out the winner. They are easy to program and clone, and most of the non-scanner heads (the kindest words I have to describe them) that I work with can figure them out.

Bob

 

[jeffmulter]

Another option ... if you "have to" have the Close Call feature, consider watching for the Pro 83 scanner to go on sale again at Radio Shack. $60 at Thanksgiving.

The Pro 83 is made by Uniden, and is a stripped-down model, similar in appearance to the BC246T, but without trunking, memory management, alphas and PL/DPL decoding.

As far as trunking goes, I'd recommend the Pro 96 over the Uniden digital scanners. Although the talkgroup management is awkward, I find the Pro 96 easier to program, and the v files are very useful if you travel alot.

That's a personal preference, though, and both the Pro 96 and Uniden 250 / 296 have done well in sales.

With regards to who is using digital, no one can judge how much the FCC / Nextel Consensus Plan - and Homeland Security grants - will fuel the migration to 9600 baud trunking in the next 2-3 years.

Keep in mind, though, that agencies using conventional channels don't need anything besides compatible digital radios to operate in digital voice on simplex channels they may be using for tac, surveillance, chit-chat, etc.

Me - I'm going to try to stay as close to the technology curve as my budget, and the Mrs., permit.


Jeff Multer
Fort Mill, S.C.

 

[bonus1331]

Appreciate the help

Jeff, I have to worry about the misses as well. Which is why I ended up ordering the BC246T this morning. $219 including shipping. Has what I need right now. Close call and tags. I figure at $219, if in two years there is significant digital migration I will have gotten my return on the 246 and the digital scanners would have reduced in price.
Already received tracking information, scanner arrives Monday. Now I need to wait for Butel to come out with the PC software. Not looking forward to loading everything in by hand.

 

[jplyler]

I bit the bullet. Mine should be here today, I can't wait. For $215 you can't go wrong.

Jon

 

[bonus1331]

I'm out of town on business until Wednesday, radio due to arrive Monday. Keep us informed on your programming progress. I currently have a 245. I wonder if I can clone from 245 to 246. Would still have to enter tags, due to the 245 having none. But from my understanding, the 246 does not use banks.
Are you planning on buying software to load?

 

[jplyler]

I downloaded the software off the uniden web site. Its a "demo" version which only allows you to upload 4 (I think) systems, I don't know about other limitations. If that is the only limitation in the demo verion I will probably wait for the ARC246 software due out sometime around the first of the year. Programming the entrie CharMeck system by hand doesn't sound like a lot of fun. Not that it would be a lot easier w/ the software, I don't think you can cut and paste from a spreadsheet like you can in the Win96 software. Hopefully there is a way to import from a text file or something. I will keep everyone posted on my progress. I will try to post what I come up with and maybe as a group we can have a very complete group of systems for the Charlotte area.

Jon

 

[jeffmulter]

I believe the ARC software, available January 4th ?, allows pasting from other other files and Excel, plus an enhanced Webcatcher for transferring information from online sources (like the RadioReference database).

Besides the ARC and Uniden software, ScanCat and Trunkstar will have software available to program the 246T.

For those considering the 246T, I would suggest subscribing to one of the 246 lists on Yahoo (I chose "BC246T") to get an understanding of the quirks of programming and operating this scanner. It takes a little different mindset, since you are no longer working with "banks" and "channels."

Like some of you, I'm waiting (semi-patiently) for Christmas to arrive, when the Mrs. will present me with a BC246T. Last year, Christmas came early (November ... a Pro 96), but I told her I could be patient this year. The reality is that I wouldn't get the fall yard work done if I got involved in programming a BC246T.

For the very patient hobbyists, though, something tells me that next year at this time Uniden will be selling a scanner with all the features of the BC246T, plus digital trunking.


Jeff

 

[bonus1331]

Jplyler,
Wondering how you were getting along with the 246. Received mine Monday but have been out of town all week. Probably won't get a chance to play until the weekend.
Any programming issues to speak of?
What do you think of the Uniden software?

 

[jplyler]

I am generally pleased w/ the unit. Today is the first day I will be able to do any "real" comparison between it and my pro96 since I finally have the RS 800 antenna for both of them now. The software is just OK. The ARC246 will be far superior, I'm sure. There is no way to copy and paste info from excel to the Uniden software. The software needs a sort function so after you key (or paste) in all the data you can have all of your talkgroups in order. I love the concept of the dynamic memory but ran into a snag last night w/ the software (probably operator error). I was adding to my char-meck system and went to upload it to the radio (w/ several other systems). The program said it was using ~30% of the memory, no problem, right? Not exactly. The thing overloaded and said the memory was full (after ~20% was copied). I guess I don't know the 'rules' or limitations of the memory (if there are any). There were:
26% memory
8 systems
39 groups
416 channels
6 system freqs
423 alpha tags
Not only did it leave out some groups but it also enabled all of the sytems and groups at one time when I only had a few selected in the radio configuration. I went back and uploaded the CMPD system alone and it still crashed. I started to delete some of the channels I added in my update and it finally worked. I think there is a group limit per system, I'm not sure about a channel per group limit. In any case I wasn't at the group limit.

As far as the radio goes, its a very nice piece and works well. I have tried to use the close call function but I really don't think I've been anywhere to see a lot of activity. I set on close call only on the way from work yesterday (from the speedway area to Cornelius) and got nothing but that was in the car w/ no external antenna. I'm sure in a 'RF-rich' environment it would work well. It has a neat frequency counter function too. Hold-3-0-power on. I will try to diagnose my CMPD system problem and upload the my data file for everyone to see. Hopefully as a group we will have a very extensive file for the area. So far mine includes Char-Meck TRS, some local air, Cabarrus, Iredell, Union, NCHP, MeckCo conventionl FD&EMS, some common PS freqs (800 mut aid) and all med channels. I think that's it. I hope that answers some questions. Let me know if you have any more.

Jon

 

[UPMan]

Trunked systems can have no more than 200 channels. That is the only reason I can think of for an incomplete load. Without actually having your usd and usc files to look at, wouldn't even want to guess.

 

[bonus1331]

I am assuming it Would be next to Impossible to program without the software ? I will start to play this weekend. I live in Indian Trail, so I would assume we have about the same systems to enter. How are you programming: by public service [all police]and then geographic area or certain areas and then broken down by public service group. Are the data files, if shared, proprietary to the Uniden software or can it be used with the Butel as well?

 

[jplyler]

Thanks for the clarification. I guess that explains the problem. I knew there was a group limit but I was under the impression that you could have as many channels as you needed per group ( to the limit of the memory). I will have to restrucure my system and reload.

Jon

 

[firemun]

BC246

Just a note or two about the 246. I am a Uniden Dealer and have had mine for about 3 weeks. They do take a while to program by hand. The free software from Uniden does do an acceptable but limited job and I am waiting anxiously to get my ARC software.

In regards to Jeff Multer's comments about the different mindset since the 246 operates without the banks and channels. The 246 set up is actually much friendlier than any other trunking scanner I have owned in this regards. The flexibility afforded by the dynamic memory allocation allows a setup that you can really structure to listen to what you want, when you want. I am really please with it.

Many of the Charlotte firefighters have seen my 246 and now I can't keep them in stock.

BTW, I know the whole Char-Meck system went live with their new talk groups this weekend. Has anyone got the talk group ID's yet? I should get a list on Monday but wanted to see if anyone has it yet?

 

[bonus1331]

Wasn't even aware that they were changing talkgroups! What is the purpose? Keep us informed. I programmed the Union County system this morning and was about to start on the CharMeck system. Guess I may as well wait until I here more.

 

[firemun]

Actually, I guess I misspoke that. They are adding a series of new talk groups for Fire and Police and I assume Medic. I see there is already conversation about the new Police talk groups. Fire is expanding to utilize the talkgroups I-K as well as adding the conference channels to the Ops groups. In addition they are adding a few more channels to interface with the CMPD.

I see that in the "files" section a listing for fire is posted that includes the TGIDs. The listing is a little confusing. The file shows the Operations I-K at the top of the files then lists them again just a little further down the page. However, the TGIDs shown are the Current OPS 2 B-H??? So I am not sure what the situation is. When I find out I will post. I welcome any insight.